High-frequency attenuating device



July 11, 1950 w. w. HANSEN,

HIGH-FREQUENCY ATTENUATING DEVICE 2 'Sheets-Shee'c l Filed July 25, 1942 lNvENToR, WILLIAM w HANSENJ- w. w. HANSEN HIGH-FREQUENCY ATTENUATING. nEvlcE July 1l, 1950 Filed Julfy 25, 1942 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Ihm r. Elfi INVENTOR, W|LL|AM W. HANSEN;

ATTORNEY,

HIS

Patented July 11, 1950 UNITE-D siifrrf'gsN PATENT OFFICE y 2514544 HIGH-FREQUENCY ATTENUATING DEVICE William W. Hansen; GardenCity'N. lihfassignoi' to "lhe Sperry' Corporation, av corporation Iof Delaware Application .July 25.11942, serialv No.f452,319

'The'present invention relates f* to devices forattenuatingj high frequency `electro'magnetic energy and especially todevices adapted'for use in `concentric transmission line systems or withl Wave guide systems. l

In many high frequency systems itis necessary or desirable to Aattenuate theenergy der rived from an ultra high frequency source by a predetermined amount'. Usually such high frequency systems utilize concentric transmission lines or wave guides for the transmission of eri-- ably match the attenuating device to the restfof the system inorder notto produce undesired wave Yreflections andA standing i waves, resulting in well known harmful effects.

In addition, it is desirable to provide attenti# ating devices 'which will oier'impedances--substantially the same as the characteristic-impedances of the concentric Vtransmission lines or wave guides to which they are connected,A when seen from either end, whereby the device may be connected'in either sense to its` sourcea'nd its load without impedance mismatch.

It is also desirable to provide adjustability for such attenuatcrs,r whereby they may bel varied to satisfy the requirements of the particularuse.

Accordingly, it is an object of the'present invention to provide improved high` frequency attenuating devices incorporating rspecial rprovisions foi eliminating wave renections and for matching the impedance of the attenuator to the impedances of -the other devices connected thereto.

It is another objectof the present invention to provide improved high frequencyv attenuating devices which are relatively insensitive t0 small changes-in frequency.

It is a further object ofthe present invention to provide improved attenuating devices in which the amounts of attenuation produced maybe suitably adjusted, vpreferably in alinear fashion.

It is still another object "of the present-invention to provide improved attenuating devices whichV may be connected directly to concentric line utilization or source devices.

It is ast-ill further object of the present invention to provide improved attenuating devices which may be connected between a Wave guide device and a concentriciine device. l

Other objects and advantages will 4become apparent from the specification'j talzen in connec- 2 tion with thel vaccou'aanying drawings vvherein' thel invention is embodied in concrete form.

In the drawings: 'n v Fig. 1 shows a longitudinal view partly in crosssectionofa form of-concentriciline attenuator, utilizing'an adjustable length wave 'guide dimensioned` `below cut-Off for producing values of at tenuaton linearly variable with the longitudinal y settingof the device.

Figs. 2, 3, 4 and 5 of the device of Fig. 1. Y

Fig. 6 shows a longitudinal View partly in crosssection of an attenuator -device similar to that ofFig. 4 but adapted to be connected .between a concentric transmission linev device and a wave gllide'device.

Fig;l 7" is a lcrossesectiofnal view plane indicated at 1-1 in Fig. 6. v

Referring to the drawings:

' Fig'. 1 illustrates a variable attenuator Where-v in attenuation is produced-by means of a circular Wave guide section'having a diameter smaller than ythat required kto produce transmission oi theielectromagnetic Waves therealong. ThatV is,

'5 the' cross-.section is Smaller than they cut-oil.

cross--section at the operating frequency.' Thus,

as shown in Fig. 1, awaveguide section 6l isA provided which. isisupplied with energy by means of a suitable antenna or energylcoupling device 62 formed as a continuation of a concentric line having an outer conductor 53 Lpreferably inte-- grall with the boundary of wave guide section 6|.

and having an inner conductor 64 preferably integral lwithv VorV joined to the antenna 62.v Ay

suitablefcouplingfor terminal device 66 for lconnecting :thepresent attenuator to any other highy frequency devices may :be provided.

`Antenna 62 is preferably formed of a material having lappreciable resistanceysuch as carbon, in order ftowavoidresonant and frequency-responsive electric'iield within wave guide 6| lwill therefore be stationary'. A portion of this energy maybe; picked up by a similar antenna device 68 which is f made axially-translatable along the device by meansof itsl mounting `within' a sleeve 69 slid-A ing` within-ConductorGS.

One` method o f producing convenient adjust ment of sleeve' 69 vwithin conductor 63 Ais shownr in *Figi 1`v and it comprises a vpair of slots' "l0 and 'Il formed in outer conductor vB3.' Ak pair of pins show diiierent modifications taken in i the 12, 13 passes through the slots 10, 1I and are fastened to sleeve 69. positioned within an annular groove 14 of a travelling nut 16 engaging a threaded portion 11 of conductor 63 coextensive with slots 16, 1|. 1n this manner, by rotation of nut 16, pins 12, 13 and thereby sleeve 69, may be axially moved Within outer conductor63.

It may be shown that the decibel attennationA produced by a device of the present type having a length much larger than its radius will vary Pins 12, 13 are slidably l linearly with the length of the chamber 6|.

In order to improve the operation'of such'a L device as that of Fig. 1, the antennae 6217-63` thereof may be modied as'shown inFig. 2; ,In this case, each of these antennae comprises a ilat conducting disc such as -18 mounted concentrically on inner conductor 64 and separated' from a ring 19 fixed to outer conductor 63 by.: a l small annular gap 8l.

be formed similarly from a disc 82 fixed to a conducting tube 83 slidably engaging with .inner- A pick-up antenna may conductor 65 of the stationaryportion ,of the device. Inner conductor 83 is concentrically mounted within sleeve 69 by means of a spacer the lines so that the impedance viewed from f either end of the device will remain substantially means of an antenna 9| positioned transversely of the short dimension of the rectangular chamber' lil.v A stationary high frequency electric field is thereby set up extending transversely of .the waveguide. and decreasing in intensity to the right. A1: the other end of the chamber al' such as 84. An annular ring 86, similar. to.19,. i

is also iixed to sleeve 69 and cooperates withfdi'sc 82 in the same manner as does ring` 1 9 with disc 18. Sleeve 69 may be adjusted ,longitudinally of the device in the same manner as described with respect to Fig. 1.

In order to further Vminimize the effect of impedance mismatch at the sliding joint, conductor, 83 terminates at a quarter-wavelength.distancel Within the outer edge of sleeve 69 and the diamf,

eters of conductors B5, 83 and sleeve Silare so l chosenthat the characteristic impedance of the quarter-Wave line section 65-.69 forms ther geometric mean between the characteristic impedances of the line sections 65-63 .and 83-69. In this way, this integrally built-in quarter-wave section provides an impedance-matching device.`

for eiiiciently coupling the sliding portion ofthe device with the fixed portion of the device with-` out impedance mismatch or wave reiections,

The attenuation produced by the device of Fig.. 2 may be expressed by the equation wherein A is the attenuation in decibels,z isthe 'length of the cavity 6i as measured between the discs 18 and 82, k is an empirically determined constant, a is the inner radius of outer conductor 63, and 7i is the operating wavelength In this device of Fig. 2 the energy supplied, forv example, from the left, serves to set up a xedA electromagnetic iield within the chamber 6l, which eld progressively decreases'in intensity toward the right. Disc 82 and ring v86 serve t0 pick up energy from 'the adjustable right end of- Since only a portion of the energy entering from the left is abstracted from the right, serious] wave reflections producing standing waves would be obtained. In order to avoid this, suitable terminating resistors 81, 88 may be provided.-y

These resistors may comprise resistive coatings on the surface of insulating spacers 15A and 84,

respectively, or any other suitable concentricv line resistors. Preferably these resistorsrare chosen to be of such a value as to fully terminate a furtherantenna member 92 picks up electromagnetic energy, which is now greatly decreased in intensity, and this attenuated energy is then ledtothe output concentric line section 93 in a manner similar tofthat in the other modifica-` tions. Preferably, terminating resistors 94, 96 are provided in this instance also.

The attenuation in this modification maybe givenby theformula s where the various symbols have the same meaning as above, a, in this case being half the dimension ofthe rectangular wave guide of Fig. 3 in a direction perpendicular to the plane of the paper. However, Ic` here may have a diierentvalue.-v

Fig. 4v shows another modification similar `to those above, in whichthe adjustable circular wave guide chamber (il is magnetically excited bymeans of .a loop 98 formed by a connection between the inner conductor` 64 and the outer conductory 63 of the device. A terminating re. sistorv 81 is supplied here also. Loop 98, when the left end of the device is connected to a suitable source of energy, excites chamber 6I and sets up an electromagnetic neld therein whose magnetic field component decreases toward the right. y This decreasedA eld intensity is picked up by a second loop 99,- similar to loop 98, and transferslthe energy from chamber 8i to the output at the right.

Loop 99 is made adjustable within conductor S32-by being fixed to sleeve 69, which Ymay be adjustable along conductor 63 inthe same manner shown vin Fig. 2. The terminating resistor 88 is also supplied here.

The attenuation here may be given the formula where the symbols have the same meaning asv in Fig. 2. However, lc here may have a diiierent value than in Fig. 2. v

Fig. 5 shows a modification of the device of Fig.'2 in which the rings 19 and 86 have been omitted and the discs 18 and 82 have been changed in form into spherical segments 18' and 82' as shown. It has been found that this type of construction extends the range of the device by permitting smaller attenuations without changing the substantially linear variation of attenuation with spacing of the antennae 18' and 82'. Otherwise this modification is the same as Fig. 2.

Fig.4 6 shows a longitudinal cross-sectional view -of a device. similarV to that of Fig. 4 but suitable forfconnectionbetween a 'concentric line such as that formed :by innerA conductorA i|0| andi Youter conductor |02'fand a wave. guide-illustrated in this instance as'being a rectangular wave guide |03 having its longer transversedimension in the plane offthe'lgure.

Wave guide |03 f is connected at one end |04, to the outer circular conductor |02 forming the main body of the device. i Slidably mounted within conductor |02 is a sleeve |06 having spring ngers'such asy |01 'and |08 at either end for producing effective sliding electrical contact between the ends of sleevev |06and the inner wall of conductor |02.

Conductor |02` is' provided 'with' a` longitudim nally'extending slot |09-through which passes a pin or screw fixedto sleeve |06. Sliding on the outside of conductor |02 is an outer sleeve ||2 which is alsol fixed to pin whereby it moves together with the inner sleeve |06. Rack. ||3 is fixed to outer sleeve ||2' and cooperates with a pinion H4' driven from a shaft ||6 where by suitable actuation of shaft H6, as by a manual control knob (not shown) will produce translationaly motion of rack ||3 and sleeves |06 and ||2 longitudinally" of the device. Shaft il@ is preferably journaled within a supporting post ||1 mounted on the same support as the conductor |02.

Inner conductor |0|loi the concentric transmission line |0|`-, |02 is preferably made hollow for at least a portionof its length, and thereby slidingly receives a conductor H8 supported concentricallyy within inner sleeve |00 by means of anv insulating support H9, whereby conductor ||8 cooperates with sleevey |06y to form a concentric line-section therewith. Conductor H3 terminates at one'end in a radially extending portion |2| connected to innerfs'leeve |06 and thereby forming an inductive loop vtermination for the concentric transmission line llt- |00 similar to that shown in Fig. 4.

It will be clear, therefore, that energy fed into line |0|-|02will set up ari-electromagnetic field within the'space |22- between loop |2| and Wave guide |03. The diameter of outer conductor |02 is preferably chosen to be `smaller than'the minimum dimension required to support-electromagnetic Waves at vthe particular frequency of operation When acting as a waveguide. Accordingly, the energyof line |0||02 willset up a stationary electromagnetic` fieldv within cavity |22 by virtue of the loop |2-|. lThe iield intensity which is picked -up by wave guide |03 will depend upon: the distance between loop |2| and the end |04 of wave guidev |03. This is adjustable by means of the arrangement already described and, accordingly, the attenuation thereby produced may be adjusted in the manner similar yto that `in Fig. 4:.`

It is to be noted 'thatthe adjusting means of Fig. 6 may also lbe used in Figs. 1 5, and vice versa. l

Insulating spacer H0 preferably carries a terminating resistance |20 which may be of-the type similar to that disclosed above to terminate the concentric transmission. line to the left thereof.y In order to avoidundesirable reflections and standing Waves produced. by the sliding joints just described, the left end |23 of the inner sleeve |08 is reduced in wall thickness by an amount whereby the concentric linesection lill, |23 will have a characteristic impedance which is the geometric mean between the characteristic impcdances'` ofthe Ailiriecsections :I 0 02 to the left thereof and |0||06 to the right thereof. This reduced thickness portion |23 is mad'euto: have a length equal:toTone-quarter-wavelength of the operating frequency in free space, and thereby, in the manner described with `respect to Fig. 2,v provides an integrally formed Y`quarter--Wave matching lsection at `the joint to--substantially eliminate reections 'and standing Waves at this joint. In the same manner, the right-most end |24 of inner conductor |0| has a reduced wall thickness for a quarter wavelength, whereby the concentric line section |24-'-| 06 will have a characteristic impedance whichl is the geometric mean between the characteristic impedances of the line section IDI- |00 to the left thereof and of concentric line section Htl- |06 tothe right thereof to prevent undesired reflections at Ythis sliding joint.

The eect of the sliding joint between the right end of sleeve |06 and outer conductor |02 is immaterial since the terminating resistance |20 effectivelylterm-inatesthe line to theleft thereof and prevents wave reections therein.

Preferably the wave guide |03 is alsoV terminated as by a resistance formed by a carbon rod |25 extending parallel to the electric 4vector in the wave guide les, vthat is, parallel to the shorter cross-sectional dimension and perpendicular to the plane of the figure.

This resistor is preferably positioned at the center of the longer cross-sectional dimension so as to be at the point of highest electric field intensity whereby it may be most effective as a terminating impedance Without preventing transfer of energy. It will be clear that the size of the carbon rod is chosen to provide the proper value of terminating impedance.

rlhe terminating resistor maybe-made longitudinally adjustable alongfwave guide |03, .as by means of slot |25,--and is preferably positioned a quarter-wavelength from end |04 of waveguide |03 to provide the most effective termination of the Wave guide and to most-efliciently prevent standing waves to the right of the termination position.

Itv Will be clear that each of the devices of the present invention4 will oier the same impedance when viewed in either direction, and hence are entirely bilateral. in character.

As manyY changes could bemade in thefabove constructionl and many apparently widely different embodiments of this invention could be made without departing from the scopethereof, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description and shown-in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

What is claimed is:

Y 1. An attenuator for ultra high frequency energy comprising an adjustable lengthv wave guide section having a. cross-section less than the cut-off cross-section at the operating frequency, adjustable kcoaxial line coupling means Afor supplying said wave guide section with high frequency energy at one endthereof and for adjusting the effective length ofv said wave guide section,y said coaxial line coupling means comprising a, tubular outer conductor telescopically :axially slidable in said wave guide section and an inner conductor coaxial with said tubular outer conductor and with said `wave guide section and including a radially projecting conductive portion extending outward toward the end of said tubular outer conductor and further coupling means for abstracting energy from the other end thereof, whereby variable attenuation may be interposed to the ow of said energy according to vthe effective length of said section.

device xedly coupled to said conductor, and a second coupling device coupled to said tubular conductor adjustably therealong.l

3. A high frequency attenuating device comprising a, uniformly extending tubular conductor having a cross-section smaller than the cut-off cross-section at the operating frequency, coupling means for effecting interchange of energy at said frequency with said tubular conductor at one end thereof comprising a coaxial line section, said coupling means having its inner conductor extending within said tubular conductor and terminating therein, means for effecting interchange of energy at the other end of said conductor, and means for slidably adjusting the position of said coaxial line section coupling means within said tubular conductor to vary the attenuation produced thereby.

4. A high frequency attenuating device as in claim 3, further including means for properly terminating said device at each end.

5. A high frequency attenuating device comprising va tubular conductor having a crosssection smaller than the cut-off cross-section at the operating frequency thereof, means for coupling energy of said frequency to one end of said conductor and means for abstracting energy from the other end of said conductor, one of said two last-named means comprising an apertured disc relatively fixed with respect to said conductor, and an inner conductor concentric with said tubular conductor and said disc, said inner conductor extending :at least to said disc, whereby said inner and tubular conductors comprise a concentric transmission line adapted to be coupled to other apparatus; and wherein thel other of said two last-named means comprises a sleeve slidably engaged within said tubular conductor, an apertured disc fixed to said sleeve, an inner conductor insulatingly supported concentrically within said sleeve and extending at least to said disc to be coupled to the wave guide space within said tubular conductor, and means for adjusting said sleeve along said tubular conductor to adjust th-e attenuation offered by said device.

6. A high frequency attenuating device oomprising a hollow conductor having a cross-section smaller than the cut-off cross-section at the operating frequency thereof, means for coupling energy of said frequency to one end of said conductor, means for abstracting energy from the other end of said conductor, one of said two lastnamed means comprising an annular ring fixed within said conductor, an inner conductor insulatingly supported within said tubular conductor, and a disc fixed to said inner conductor substantially coplanar with said ring, whereby energy applied between said tubular conductor and said inner conductor will be coupled by means of said disc and said ring to the space within said tubular conductor; and wherein further the other of said two last-named means comprises a sleeve slidingly mounted within said tubular conductor, a ring conductively fixed to the end of said sleeve juxtaposed to said first-named ring, an inner conductor concentrically supported within said sleeve, :a further disc fixed to said last-named inner conductor and substantially coplanar with said last-named ring, whereby the concentric transmission line formed by said lastnamed inner conductor and said sleeve may be coupled to the space within said tubular conductor Iby means of said last-named disc and ring, and means for adjusting said sleeve along said inner conductor to thereby adjust the attenuation offered by said device.

7. A high frequency attenuating device comprising a hollow conductor having a cross-section smaller than the cut-off cross-section at the operating frequency thereof, means for coupling energy of said frequency to one end of said conductor comprising a concentric transmission line section having an inner conductor connected at one end to the outer conductor thereof to form an inductive loop termination for said section,` means for :abstracting energy from the other end of said conductor comprising a similar concentric transmission line section having an inner conductor connected to the outer conductor thereof to form an inductive loop energy coupling, and means for adjusting the effective separation of said loops to thereby adjust the attenuation offered by said device.

8. A high frequency attenuating device comprising a tubular conductor having a cross-section smaller than the cut-off cross-section at the operating frequency thereof, wave guide means for coupling energy of said frequency at one end of said conductor, and adjustable concentric line means for coupling energy at the other end of said conductor and adjustably along said conductor, the adjustment of said concentric line means along said conductor providing adjustment of the attenuation offered by said device.

9. A high frequency attenuating device comprising a hollow conductor having a cross-section smaller than the cut-off cross-section at.

the operating frequency, a coaxial line section terminated by a dissipative resistive element, means coupling said section to one end of said conductor whereby said section may serve as input to said conductor, means for abstracting energy from the other end of said conductor, and means for adjusting the position of said coupling means along said conductor to vary the attenuation produced thereby.

10. An attenuator for yultra high frequency energy comprising al wave guide section having a cross-section less than the cut-off cross-section at the operating frequency, a coaxial line, and adjustable means for coupling said coaxial line to said wave guide section to adjust the length of said section, said coaxial line having an inner conductor, portions of said inner conductor being of unequal diameter to produce impedance matching.

l1. The attenuator defined in claim 10 wherein one of said portions of the inner conductor is of length substantially equal to a quarter wave length at the operating frequency.

12. The attenuator dened in claim 10 wherein said inner conductor comprises a body part of predetermined diameter and a terminal part of substantially reduced diameter, said terminal part being of length substantially equal to a quarter Wavelength at the operating frequency.

13. A high frequency attenuating device com- 'prising a tubular conductor having a cross-section smaller than the cut-off :cross-section at the operating frequency thereof, Vmeans for coupling energy-of said frequency to one end of said conductor, said coupling means comprisinga coaxial line-terminated in an inductive loop,.said terminating loop being slidably adjustable within said tubular conductor tofvary the amount Aof attenuation produced thereby.

14. A high frequency attenuating device comprising a hollow rconductonhaving a cross-section smaller than the cut-off cross-sectionV at the operating vfrequency thereof, a coaxial line terminated in an inductive loop,.said coaxial line being slidably cooperable with' said conductor whereby .variable lcoupling .with yan electromagnetic field therewithin is eifected,+and lresistive means terminating-,said coaxial line to properly terminate said coaxial line thereby avoiding undesirable reiiections therein.

15. High frequency attenuator apparatus `comprising a hollow conductor adapted to contain an electromagnetic field` and having a crosssection smaller than the cut-off Across-section at the operating frequency thereof, `a coaxial line section disposed adjacent one en d of said conductor and having an inductive loop termination for coupling with'said eld, said coaxial'line section and said inductive loop termination being conjointly slidably yengageable with saidl conductor for continuously varying the degree of insertion of said termination within said eld, said Ycoaxial line section having portions of its inner and outer conductors of diiferentdiametral 'ratios for suppressing undesired wave reflections therein.

16. A fixed-length high frequency attenuating device comprising a hollow wave guide conductor having a transverse dimension fixed at a value below cut-off at the operating frequency and input and output terminations spaced a predetermined xed distance apart, and coaxial conductor means positioned in said wave guide conductor and movable relative to said conductor and each of said terminations for varying the effective length of said conductor whereby variations in the attenuation of the energy propagated between said termination is eected.

17. The attenuation device defined in claim 16 wherein one of said terminations is a coaxial transmission line section having ya hollow inner conductor portion and an outer conductor porportion, said portions being adapted to slidingly receive the inner and outer conductors, respectively, of said coaxial conductor means.

18. The attenuating device defined in claim 16 wherein one of said terminations isv a coaxial transmission line section having a hollow inner conductor portion and an outer conductor portion, said portions being adapted to slidingly receive the inner and outer conductors, respectively, of said coaxial means, and a high frequency coupling at the end of said coaxial conductor means remote from said coaxial transmission line section adapted to be controllably disposed in a desired portion of Said Iwave guide conductor in accordance with a predetermined position of said coaxial conductor means.

19. The attenuating device defined in claim 16 wherein one of said terminations is a hollow rectangular wave guide adapted to contain travelling electromagnetic waves of which the intensity at the junction between said below cut-off wave guide and said rectangular wave guide depends on the effective length of said below cut-off wave Lil guide, and adjustable terminating means in said rectangular Wave guide for insuring efficient propagationof energy through said rectangular waveguide.

'20. A high frequency attenuating device comprising a hollow wave guide conductor having a transverse dimension corresponding to a value below cut-off at the operating frequency of .the device, a coaxial yconductor input coupling telescopingly mounted at one end of said wave guide conductor, said coupling including an inductive loopelement connected between the inner and outerfconductors of said coax-ial conductor Vand slidably adjustable withinsaid wave guide conductor tov vary the effective length thereof, hoilow wave-energy propagation 'means iixedly connected at thevother end of said waveguide conductor, whereby, -upon selective positioning #of said coaxial coupling lwith respect to said wave guideconductor, predetermined, amountswof attenuation Yare introduced in said device corresponding to selected lengths of said waveguide conductor.A

V21.^Ultra -high frequency attenuator apparatus comprising a -wave -guide section having a cross-'section less than the cut-off cross-section at the operating frequency, energy conducting means coupled to one end of said wave-guide section, a slidably-adjustable coaxial-line section serving as coupling lt'ol said Wave guide section at the otherend thereof, said coaxial line section having lan-outer conductorslidably mounted and movable-within' said wave guide', and'also having aninnerconductor connected to said outer conductor ybyan `inductive loop within said guide,

said coaxial line section also serving as means for varying the length of said wave guide section to vary the amount of attenuation produced therein.

22. An ultra high frequency attenuator, comprising a wave guide having a cross-section less than the cut-off cross-section at the operating frequency, means iixedly connected at one end of said Wave guide and coupling said attenuator to external apparatus, a second coupling means having a conducting wall member xedly connected to the conducting wall of said wave guide at the other end thereof for coupling said attenuator to further external apparatus, and electrical conducting means comprising a coaxial line section having an outer conductor slidably engaging said wave guide section and an inner conductor connected to said outer conductor by an inductive loop within said wave guide, said second coupling means comprising a further coaxial line section fixed with respect to said wave guide and having outer and inner conductors respectively slidably engaging said first-named outer and inner conductors, whereby said first coaxial line section may be adjusted relative to said wave guide and further coaxial line section to vary the effective length of said wave guide' section.

23. Ultra high frequency attenuator apparatus comprising a wave guide section having a cross-section less than the cut-off cross-section at the operating frequency, a coaxial line section having outer and inner conductors relatively fixed with respect to said wave guide section, and means for adjustably coupling said sections and for adjusting the length of said wave guide section to vary the amount of attenuation produced therein, comprising a further coaxial line section having outer and inner conductors respectively slidably engaging the outer and inner conductors of saidvfirstv coaxial line section at one end of said further section, and also having an inductive loop connecting its outer and inner conductors at the other end thereof within said Wave guide, said further coaxial line section outer conductor being` slidably engaged with said wave guide, whereby said loop may be adjusted along said wave guide without disturbing the fixed relation of said guide and said rst coaxial line Section,

24. A high frequency attenuation device, comprising a uniformly extending tubular conductor having a cross-section smaller than the cut-H cross-section at the operating frequency, coupling means ,at one end of said tubular conductor comprising a coaxial line section for connecting said tubular conductor to external apparatus. said coaxial line section having its inner conductor extending within said tubular conductor and terminating therein, coupling means at the other end of said conductor for connecting other external apparatus thereto, means for slidably adjusting the position of said coaxial line section coupling means within said tubular conductor to vary the attenuation produced thereby, and means for terminating each of said coupling means for suppressing undesired wave reflections therein. Y

, 25. A high frequency attenuating device, comprising a uniformly extending tubular conductor having a cross-section smaller than the cut-oi cross-section at the operating frequency, coupling means for effecting interchange of energy at said frequency with said tubular conductor atv one end thereof `comprising, a coaxial line section, said coupling means having its inner conductor extending Within saidi tubular conductor and terminatingtherein, means for eiectf ing interchange of nenergy lat vthe other endjofsaid conductor, and means for slidably adjusting the positionof said coaxial line section-coupling means Within said tubular conductor to vary the attenuation produced. thereby, said coaxial line coupling means having portions of its inner andv outer conductors of. different idiametral ratios for suppressing undesired Wave reeetions therein.,v f, e l

WILLIAM W. HANSEN.

REFERENCES ,CITED The following references. are of record in the file of this patent: l

UNITED 'STATES' PATENTS Germany May 28, 1938 

